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While injuries kept the 22-year-old Kournikova from playing singles, they didn't prevent her from winning in both women's and mixed doubles to propel the Explorers (4-7) to victory against the Freedoms (3-8).
Double trouble
Kournikova, the world's 77th-ranked singles player, teamed up with WTT veteran Dick Leach in mixed doubles play to open the night. The pair beat the Freedoms' Nathan Healey and Elena Tatarkova, 5-2.
After Healey beat david Wheaton in men's singles to cut the Explorers' lead to 9-7, Kournikova and substitute player Anniko Kapros gave Kansas City another boost in a 5-4 (4), down-to-the-wire win over Philadelphia's Jill Craybas (substituting for Vera Zvonareva) and Tatarkova.
Kournikova said, "This was my first time playing World TeamTennis and I was impressed with the enthusiasm in Philadelphia. I'm glad I was part of a winning team my first night out there and enjoyed playing to get us a win."
Anna's comeback
World TeamTennis CEO Ilana Kloss said, "We're thrilled that Anna was able to play [at Cabrini]. We appreciate her efforts to come back from injuries and continue playing for us this season."
Holding a 14-11 lead, the Explorers posted a mixed doubles win by WTT veterans Wheaton and Leach over the Australian duo of Healey and Andrew Florent, 5-3, to increase their lead to 19-14.
Craybas lost to Kapros in women's singles, 5-3, to complete the night's action.
Kournikova, whose off-court activities have raised questions regarding her on-court seriousness, handled the media at Cabrini last week comfortably in her pre-match press conference. Many of the questions centered around her excessive media exposure.
"It's you [the media] who make a big deal out of it," the one-time top-10 player coolly responded. "I can't help how I look."
Asked if she will compete in the return of the Advanta Championships this October at Villanova University - which Kournikova didn't know was returning to the Philadelphia area - the two-time Australian Open women's doubles champion replied hesitantly.
"Sure," she responded, adding that she would play providing she is healthy to compete. "It [the Pavilion at Villanova] is a cute place and the fans are right up close."
